Niagara Centre

Niagara Centre is a working-class riding in the heart of the Niagara Peninsula, spanning the communities of Welland, Thorold, Port Colborne, Wainfleet, and parts of south St. Catharines. Jeff Burch won the seat for the NDP in 2018 by roughly 3,300 votes over former Wainfleet mayor April Jeffs, making him the riding’s first New Democrat MPP in the modern era of the reconfigured riding. In 2022, Burch defended his seat against a strong PC challenge amid a province-wide Conservative majority.

Candidates

Jeff Burch (NDP) — Burch is a former two-term city councillor, former executive director of the not-for-profit Niagara Folk Arts, and former union leader who represented frontline healthcare workers. During his first term at Queen’s Park, he served as the Official Opposition’s Municipal Affairs critic.

Fred Davies (Progressive Conservative) — Davies served as a Niagara Regional Councillor representing Port Colborne and had previously been a school board trustee, bringing local government experience to his provincial campaign.

Terry Flynn (Liberal) — Flynn is a veteran paramedic with over 35 years of frontline experience with Niagara Emergency Medical Services, where he served as Superintendent of Operations overseeing 400 paramedics handling 90,000 calls annually. He served as a Town Councillor in Niagara-on-the-Lake for 21 years between 1997 and 2018, including nine years as Deputy Lord Mayor.

Michelle Mcarthur (Green Party), Gary Dumelie (New Blue Party), and Vincent Gircys (Ontario Party) also ran.

Local Issues

Healthcare access was the defining issue in Niagara Centre. Burch advocated for a planning grant for a new, full-service Welland Hospital with a 24/7 emergency department, arguing that existing facilities could not keep pace with the community’s needs. The restoration of full services at the Port Colborne Urgent Care Centre was another focal point, with residents concerned about diminishing local access to emergency care. Meanwhile, the broader South Niagara Hospital project—a new facility planned for Niagara Falls—raised questions about what services would remain at existing Welland facilities.

Poverty and the cost of living weighed heavily on the riding’s residents. Welland and Port Colborne are among the more economically challenged municipalities in the Niagara Region, and the pandemic deepened existing hardships. Additionally, a broader review of Niagara’s regional governance structure—including possible municipal amalgamations—was a topic of debate, with residents divided over whether consolidation would improve services or reduce local representation.